Photo: Guenterguni
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Africa Is A Dream Destination For Nature Lovers — Here Are 14 Countries That Are Especially Worth Exploring; Buzzfeed
Gorillas in our midst: DR Congo park fetes rare birth; AFP
Photo: AFP
DR Congo’s Kahuzi-Biega National Park is celebrating the birth of an eastern lowland gorilla, one of the world’s most endangered species.
Source: Gorillas in our midst: DR Congo park fetes rare birth
DRC: Removal of Salonga Park from World Heritage in Danger divides; Boris Ngounou; Afrik 21
Photo: Afrik 21
The Salonga National Park in central Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been removed from UNESCO’s list of World Heritage in Danger. This is an early decision according to environmental activists, who continue to call for the cancellation of oil concessions granted in the Salonga and Virunga parks by the DRC government.
Source: DRC: Removal of Salonga Park from World Heritage in Danger divides | Afrik 21
Africa’s largest rainforest removed from ‘World Heritage in Danger’ list; David Henning; Getaway
Photo: Flickr Commons
Africa’s largest tropical rainforest reserve, the Salonga National Park has been removed from “World Heritage in Danger” list.
Source: Africa’s largest rainforest removed from ‘World Heritage in Danger’ list
UNESCO removed the Salonga National Park, the largest in DRC, from the list of World Heritage in Danger; Geraldine Boechat; MedAfrica Times
Photo: MedAfrica Times
UNESCO removes DR Congo park from endangered list; AFP
Photo: Yahoo News
The Democratic Republic of Congo scored a key heritage victory on Monday as UNESCO removed one of its nature reserves from a list of threatened sites, the UN agency said.
Tourists and gorillas ‘safe’ after DRC volcano eruption; AFP
Photo credit: AFP
Tourists who were near the crater the Nyiragongo volcano in the Democratic Republic Congo erupted are safe, the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) said Sunday. Nor were the rare mountain gorillas in the Virunga National Park threatened by the eruption, the institute added.
Source: Tourists and gorillas ‘safe’ after DRC volcano eruption
At least six Virunga national park rangers killed in attack; AFP
At least six rangers in DR Congo’s Virunga national park, famous for its mountain gorillas, were killed in an attack officials blamed on a militia group.
Source: At least six Virunga national park rangers killed in attack
DRC: Access to Kahuzi-Biega Park blocked by rangers in a bid to claim their wages; Afolake Oyinloye; Africa News
Source: DRC: Access to Kahuzi-Biega Park blocked by rangers in a bid to claim their wages
Okapi Wildlife Reserve, Congo; Orange Smile
UNESCO condemns the murder of two guards at Okapi Wildlife Reserve; Unesco
Source: UNESCO condemns the murder of two guards at Okapi Wildlife Reserve
DRC’s Okapi Wildlife Reserve gets new management partner in WCS; Shreya Dasgupta; Mongabay
Source: DRC’s Okapi Wildlife Reserve gets new management partner in WCS
High-stakes conflict threatens DR Congo gorillas; AFP
High-stakes conflict threatens DR Congo gorillas…
Pandas or people? When the fight to save the planet pits conservation against indigenous communities; Peter Beaumont; Bhekisisa
A deadly conflict is brewing between those forced out of the DRC’s Kahuzi-Biéga national park and the rangers charged with protecting it.
A date with the Silverbacks in the Congo; Ashok Warrier; The Hindu
Coming face to face with Grauer’s Gorillas in the Congo is an unforgettable experience
11 amazing UNESCO World Heritage sites in danger of disappearing forever; Angela Orlando; Matador Network
A world without okapi would be a very sad place.
Source: 11 amazing UNESCO World Heritage sites in danger of disappearing forever
Null and void? CoMiCo’s oil aspirations in DRC; Global Witness
An opaque Guernsey-owned company’s oil contract threatening Salonga National Park in Democratic Republic Congo could be null and void, according to our legal analysis.
Source: Null and void? CoMiCo’s oil aspirations in DRC | Global Witness
Aww: Man Comforts Gorilla Who Just Lost His Mom; Cyber Breeze
We all know that losing a parent can be one of the most tragic days of a person’s life. This photo that was taken by photographer Phil Moore shows us that that the feelings of loss and sadness that come with losing a mother aren’t limited to the human species. Read on to find out.
Not For Sale: Congo’s forests must be protected from the fossil fuels industry; Global Witness
DR of Congo – Salonga National Park
The largest protected tropical rainforest in Africa – Salonga National Park in Democratic Republic of Congo – is at risk from oil exploration thanks to a secretive deal with an opaque company.
As we have previously revealed, the Democratic Republic of Congo government is attempting to reclassify swathes of two UNESCO protected World Heritage Sites – Salonga and Virunga National Parks – to allow oil exploration to take place. In our new investigation, we shine a light on the opaque ownership and secret deals of one company that potentially stands to gain from government attempts to open up the area to oil, COMICO, which was allocated an oil block that partially overlaps Salonga National Park.
We expose how individuals involved in the original deal to purchase these controversial oil rights include a politically connected individual, a convicted fraudster, a businessman embroiled in the Brazilian ‘Car Wash’ scandal and mysterious shell companies.
Moreover, the details of the contract remain unknown, in contravention of Congo’s own oil law.
Read more from source: Not For Sale: Congo’s forests must be protected from the fossil fuels industry | Global Witness
Congo defends right to explore for oil in national parks; Aaron Ross; Reuters
DR of Congo – Salonga National Park
Salonga park sits on peatlands that scientists say could release massive quantities of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere if disturbed
DAKAR, Feb 15 (Reuters) – Democratic Republic of Congo’s oil minister on Thursday defended the country’s right to explore for oil anywhere on its territory after media reports that President Joseph Kabila approved drilling in Africa’s largest tropical rainforest reserve.
Oil minister Aime Ngoy Mukena declined to confirm a report in Germany’s Die Tageszeitung newspaper that Kabila had this month authorised exploration inside Salonga National Park, but he said that no land should be off-limits.
Salonga, a UNESCO World Heritage site, covers 33,350 sq km of the Congo Basin, the world’s second-largest rainforest. It is home to rare species including bonobos, forest elephants, dwarf chimpanzees and Congo peacocks.
The park in central Congo’s Cuvette Centrale also sits on peatlands that scientists say could release massive quantities of carbon dioxide into the atmsophere if disturbed.
Ngoy Mukena said the government was mindful of environmental considerations but was intent on developing its hydrocarbons sector.
Source: Congo defends right to explore for oil in national parks
All About World Heritage Sites 